Was finally able to cut the TV cable cord and felt like sharing

[BigDukeSix]

Very informative once again dgalvan123. Thanks so much for laying it all out in an a very logical and easy to read manner. Yes, the hybrid stick was exactly what I was referring to. Of course, my Mini is where my flatscreen is located, and that is where my OTA cable comes in. My router is in the office, as that is where my internet cable connection comes in. However, based on what you and others have said, it sounds like between the network websites, Hulu+, Netflix and Amazon Prime we should be well covered.

 

[dgalvan123]

. . .OTA + Netflix + Hulu is enough for us. Not having a DVR hasn't bothered us at all. Most of our shows are on Hulu and those that aren't have the newest episodes available on the station's website (I use my MBP + Airplay to the Apple TV to watch them). I just don't think it's worth it to bother setting up a home DVR solution. To be honest, I don't think there's a single show we watch OTA that we could not get new episodes of via either Hulu or the station's website.

Completely reasonable point.

I'll admit the way my current system is set up (streaming AND a DVR for OTA) is somewhat redundant. The network shows we record OTA using the HDHomerun/EyeTV setup are MOSTLY available on Hulu. Though not all are: CBS doesn't have most (any?) of its current-season shows up on Hulu. Many are available on cbs.com and are therefore viewable either using FreeCable plugin for XBMC, or simply airplay mirroring your computer's browser to the TV).

The main benefit we get out of the HDHomerun/EyeTV setup is convenience. For any shows available on the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS), we don't have to worry about which shows are available via hulu or not, how many shows are available on the network websites (some networks only stream the most recent episode, others stream most recent 5, etc.). We don't have to think about whether to watch show X using Hulu vs. Free Cable vs. airplay mirroring. We don't have to sit through commercials (even the short 30-second ones that come with streaming).

We don't have to think of any of that.

We just set up the OTA recording in EyeTV, go about our lives, and then when we have time and interest, pop on the Apple TV and watch the recorded shows that are waiting for us, all tagged and queued up in the same place on our TV screen.

So, whether it is "worth it" to set up such a convenient system will be different from person to person. Sure I CAN just keep track of what to watch on which website, which shows are on Hulu vs. only available on the network website vs. only available on iTunes, etc. But I don't WANT to have to do that. I just want to flip on the TV and watch.

While the setup of the HD Homerun / EyeTV system was non-trivial, now that it is set up it requires very little maintenance or interaction from me other than deleting watched shows every once in a while.

That said, we do of course have to deal with the Hulu/FreeCable setup for cable shows. Daily Show comes in via Hulu, Project Runway through FreeCable, Breaking Bad is only on iTunes (for current season anyway). And we do the Airplay-mirroring thing for live TV events that we want to watch same-day but don't want commercials. (That is, we'll set the recording for the show in EyeTV, wait 15 minutes or so after the show starts recording, then Airplay mirror the mac's screen to the TV and watch it in the EyeTV program, fast-forwarding through commercials until eventually catching up with "live" by the end.)

But all those outliers are less convenient than the DVR approach.

 

[cdavis11]

Completely reasonable point.



While the setup of the HD Homerun / EyeTV system was non-trivial, now that it is set up it requires very little maintenance or interaction from me other than deleting watched shows every once in a while.

I run the same EyeTV/HD Homerun setup and feed those recordings into iTunes.

I have scripts that run through ical triggers to clean up EyeTV recordings and delete out iTunes shows with playcounts of 1 or more every day.

It's very easy to completely automate it if you want to put a little time in up front.

 

[dgalvan123]

I have scripts that run through ical triggers to clean up EyeTV recordings and delete out iTunes shows with playcounts of 1 or more every day.

I looked into that a while back, but couldn't figure out how to get the script specific enough so that it would smartly delete the iTunes show once it was watched, but NOT delete all other shows that had been watched but which I wanted to keep. (For example, shows I purchased directly from iTunes. . . some of which are not available to be re-downloaded from iTunes so if I delete them I can't get them back.)

Did you write these scripts in AppleScript or did you use automator?

 

[cdavis11]

I looked into that a while back, but couldn't figure out how to get the script specific enough so that it would smartly delete the iTunes show once it was watched, but NOT delete all other shows that had been watched but which I wanted to keep. (For example, shows I purchased directly from iTunes. . . some of which are not available to be re-downloaded from iTunes so if I delete them I can't get them back.)

Did you write these scripts in AppleScript or did you use automator?

I wrote them myself. Some trial and error mostly.

Here's the clean up itunes script:


try
tell application "iTunes"
set filesToDelete to location of (file tracks whose (video kind is TV show) and (unplayed is false))
delete (tracks whose (video kind is TV show) and (unplayed is false))
end tell
tell application "Finder"
repeat with theFile in filesToDelete
delete theFile
end repeat
end tell



end try

I don't keep anything that has a playcount higher than 1, but you might be able to solve that problem by running a delete script on the results of a smart playlist.

Compile that, export as an application and trigger it with iCal whenever it works best for you.

I have a few others that I use to wipe the EyeTV recordings and one I use with Hazel to automatically tag EyeTV recordings as they come into iTunes.

----------

EyeTV delete script is really simple:


tell application "EyeTV"
delete recordings
end tell


again, compile it and export as an application. Then call it with iCal at a given time.

 

[dgalvan123]

I wrote them myself. Some trial and error mostly.

Here's the clean up itunes script:

. . .
EyeTV delete script is really simple:

. . ..

Thanks for posting these! I'll probably play around with something based on them.

 

[BigDukeSix]

The cable box is going back to Bresnan on Monday (end of the billing cycle). I am anxious to make the switch and see how much adjusting we have to do...LOL! I think it will be just fine. I am also probably going to get the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid for my wife for Christmas, so we have record capability on our Mini.

 

[emaja]

sports is easy to replace with NFL Gamepass, NBA Gametime, NHL Centre Ice, and MLB Innings, HBO is the only downside, to me HBO wasnt worth cable +25$a month

Unfortunately, regional restrictions for MLB, NBA, and NHL will not allow us in the US to stream local sports. Yes, local NFL games are OTA, but in Chicago I cannot watch the Cubs, Bulls, or Blackhawks unless they are OTA and most games are on cable.

That's the deal breaker and will continue to be until those regional restrictions are lifted.

 

[linds15]

Unfortunately, regional restrictions for MLB, NBA, and NHL will not allow us in the US to stream local sports. Yes, local NFL games are OTA, but in Chicago I cannot watch the Cubs, Bulls, or Blackhawks unless they are OTA and most games are on cable.

That's the deal breaker and will continue to be until those regional restrictions are lifted.

add in unblock us for 5$ a month and you're set

 

[agenda893]

The best setup I've ever used is the setup I have now. On a 2012 mac mini I have Sickbeard find the shows I want and then it has SABnzbd+ download them to my PLEX directory. From there I can either watch it in my living room on the TV that's connected to the mac mini, airplay to my upstairs TV with appleTV or stream to my iPhone or iPad to wherever in the world I happen to be. Most of the time I get shows an hour or two before they air in my timezone. I can access my library when at friends houses and stream to their appleTVs, too.

 

[From A Buick 8]

The best setup I've ever used is the setup I have now. On a 2012 mac mini I have Sickbeard find the shows I want and then it has SABnzbd+ download them to my PLEX directory. From there I can either watch it in my living room on the TV that's connected to the mac mini, airplay to my upstairs TV with appleTV or stream to my iPhone or iPad to wherever in the world I happen to be. Most of the time I get shows an hour or two before they air in my timezone. I can access my library when at friends houses and stream to their appleTVs, too.

that sounds great, i am leaning towards a mini setup, can you give more detail about Sickbeard and SABnzbd+

 

[linds15]

that sounds great, i am leaning towards a mini setup, can you give more detail about Sickbeard and SABnzbd+

he's using usenet to download content. think torrents but incredibly fast

 

[ctdonath]

5 pages of commentary aside, my take FWIW:

Early 2006 we cut the cord. More to the point, we didn't connect it up. Two years prior we had standard analog cable TV and watched it some. One year prior we moved and went with full-package digital cable TV, watching little and mostly inanities ("House Hunters" etc.). Then we moved again and ... didn't have it installed; Internet, yes, but just didn't ask for TV service. Too busy most of the time to lounge around with pap TV, and had plenty of DVDs and rentals when we did. Couple years ago got the HDTV (publisher's reward for reaching a high book sales goal - good job dear), and the TV was a no-brainer at $99 + Netflix streaming @ $9/mo.

Didn't like ads before, can't stand 'em now. No longer chained to a few channels (most of the thousand or so on a big TV plan are time-shifted duplicates, intolerable, or blank), "a la carte" has arrived - there's plenty to choose from without artificial limitations. I have 3 sources now: Netflix with its cheap but slightly aged content, iTunes with its latest content at decent "yeah I really want to watch that now even for $5" prices, and a mile away is a Redbox with recent blockbusters for $1.50/night Blurays. There are a handful of major-network shows we may want to see, and are usually available next-day on their websites (Bachelor[ette], Amazing Race, Survivor). The one devastating loss is the Olympics, with its live feed of major events with premium views & commentary; missing THAT is painful.

A key winner is the kids. No ads, no uncontrolled content, all the Dora/Diego/Elmo/WonderPets/etc. they can consume at no additional cost, when they/we want, no fortune spent on discs and their multiple replacements (breakages, scratches, dried goobers). Also a great deal of content otherwise hard to find or even know of (Oscar's Oasis).

TV, as generally understood in society, stinks. You're the product; they'll feed you whatever lowest common denominator it takes to sell your eyeballs. Life is short, if you're going to watch

Oh, and Hogfather is great for this time of year: a gloriously deranged retelling of popular Christmas legends. And it's on Netflix, so when a friend recommended it I was watching it a few hours later.

After a few years of TV + Redbox, the thought of returning to "cable TV" makes me ill.

 

[agenda893]

that sounds great, i am leaning towards a mini setup, can you give more detail about Sickbeard and SABnzbd+

Basically Sickbeard is an application that runs searches for TV shows through usenet indexers (and/or torrent sites). When it finds the next episode of a show you've told it to watch for it automatically downloads the .nzb file and sends it to SABnzbd+ which connects to usenet and downloads the file. SABnzbd+ can also sort the files into specific folders based on pre-set tags, for example, anything Sickbeard asks for is tagged TV so those files go right into a folder of only TV shows. I then have PLEX scan that folder when new things are added and it gets all the metadata about the episode and adds it to my library for viewing.
Once everything is set up you don't have to do anything. Everything is automated. The costs involved are pretty low, you could get a block account with astraweb for $50 for 1TB (that would be about 2700 standard definition episodes, or about 1000 in high definition) or you can get an unlimited account from usenetserver for $95 for a year.
There's a good writeup on how to set everything thing up here: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=120406 - it's more PC centric but you'll get the idea, setting it up on a mac is very similar.

 

[jurrel]

Basically Sickbeard is an application that runs searches for TV shows through usenet indexers (and/or torrent sites). When it finds the next episode of a show you've told it to watch for it automatically downloads the .nzb file and sends it to SABnzbd+ which connects to usenet and downloads the file. SABnzbd+ can also sort the files into specific folders based on pre-set tags, for example, anything Sickbeard asks for is tagged TV so those files go right into a folder of only TV shows. I then have PLEX scan that folder when new things are added and it gets all the metadata about the episode and adds it to my library for viewing.
Once everything is set up you don't have to do anything. Everything is automated. The costs involved are pretty low, you could get a block account with astraweb for $50 for 1TB (that would be about 2700 standard definition episodes, or about 1000 in high definition) or you can get an unlimited account from usenetserver for $95 for a year.
There's a good writeup on how to set everything thing up here: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=120406 - it's more PC centric but you'll get the idea, setting it up on a mac is very similar.

thanks for sharing this. i also found this tutorial on setting up usenet and sickbeard on mac os:

http://www.jetshred.com/2012/07/26/installing-sickbeard-on-os-x-10-dot-8/

 

[cdavis11]

A key winner is the kids. No ads, no uncontrolled content, all the Dora/Diego/Elmo/WonderPets/etc. they can consume at no additional cost, when they/we want, no fortune spent on discs and their multiple replacements (breakages, scratches, dried goobers). Also a great deal of content otherwise hard to find or even know of (Oscar's Oasis).

I'm right there with you on not going back - Time Warner been working me pretty hard these past few weeks. I got a cable + Internet for $49 for the first 6 mos offer *IN PERSON* from a door to door guy a couple of nights ago.

I just laughed and said no thank you. The guy was genuinely surprised I didn't jump at that offer.

I will say this - I'm not as happy as I could be with Netflix parental controls on the Apple TV. You really do have to police the kiddos when they're watching. I have a 6 and a 3 year old - 6 year old runs the TV, chooses the shows and knows how to operated it all. BUT - unfiltered Netflix has some pretty graphic cover art on display sometimes, and it'll show up on the top menu before she gets down to "just for kids".

I've read up on Netflix parental controls and so far i'm not impressed - from what I understand they have to be set up on the netflix web interface, then take as long as 24 hours to propagate out to streamers. There's also no passcode/adult key access - so after the kids are in bed, you have no real way to get around the controls as an adult.

Not ideal. But we just make sure we're paying attention to what the kids are watching for now.

 

[ctdonath]

The guy was genuinely surprised I didn't jump at that offer.

Likewise I've gotten multiple offers for standard cable TV service for just $2/mo over Internet cost. Hard to say no, but harder to stomach the dreck that would be piped in.

 

[Kurri]

are any of you guys sports fans? I find I could easily cut the cable if it wasn't for football and a few other things (playoffs in other sports i enjoy).

 

[cdavis11]

are any of you guys sports fans? I find I could easily cut the cable if it wasn't for football and a few other things (playoffs in other sports i enjoy).

I'm not a big football fan, but a good OTA antenna will get you the normal Sunday network games. That's more than enough for me, along with internet information for fantasy leagues. IMHO - don't even start thinking about cutting the cord without investigating OTA antennas, for me the antenna was the key to keeping that lost on a desert island feeling at bay.

I am a bigger baseball fan, and while MLB streaming has been hit or miss over the last 3 years that i've been on it, this past season was better overall than it has been in a long time. Much less stuttering/rebuffering and downright drops in 2012 than 2010-2011 for sure.

Playoff baseball is a challenge at the divison series level, but the MLB apps along with radio can fill in the gaps if you're really serious about it. Heck - I've gone to my local sports bar and enjoyed playoff baseball in that atmosphere and found if was really a great time and something I had never done before.

It'd doable if you're not a complete fanatic who has to have Red Zone and pixel perfect perfection.

 

[dgalvan123]

Basically Sickbeard is an application that runs searches for TV shows through usenet indexers (and/or torrent sites). . . .

Downloading TV shows from torrents or usenet is legally ambiguous.

(Not judging anyone who chooses to go that route; Notice I said "legally", not "morally". Not trying to spark that discussion.)

Using EyeTV or Windows Media Center to record OTA, and using a jailbroken Apple TV to access Hulu and "FreeCable" is NOT legally ambiguous. Hulu makes it's material available for free on the web, and FreeCable just grabs the video stream from any TV Show that has been posted on the network website by the network itself.

Just as an FYI for other prospective cable-cutters: If you care about legality of this type of thing, recording OTA and jailbreaking the ATV2 are not as legally ambiguous as usenet/torrents.

 

[BigDukeSix]

Cable box returned yesterday. Running Roku and a Mac Mini, along with OTA. Have not gotten the EyeTV Hybrid device yet, still weighing that issue.
Old cable bill, $125.00, new cable bill for internet only, $49.95. Woot!

 

[mic j]

Cable box returned yesterday. Running Roku and a Mac Mini, along with OTA. Have not gotten the EyeTV Hybrid device yet, still weighing that issue.
Old cable bill, $125.00, new cable bill for internet only, $49.95. Woot!

Please keep us informed as to how much you spend on content subscriptions/purchases. My sat+dsl bill is about $135/mo (discounts included). I see it as being very close to break even, once I subscribe/purchase the content I want to watch. But I may be underestimating how much I will spend on content. So I will be curious to see where you end up.

 

[BigDukeSix]

Please keep us informed as to how much you spend on content subscriptions/purchases. My sat+dsl bill is about $135/mo (discounts included). I see it as being very close to break even, once I subscribe/purchase the content I want to watch. But I may be underestimating how much I will spend on content. So I will be curious to see where you end up.

Well, I have Amazon Prime for $78/yr. But I probably use that slightly more for the shipping than for the streaming. I do have Netflix for streaming and 1 DVD at a time, so that is $15/mo. We will porbably sign up for Hulu+, but have not done so yet.
I will indeed keep track of stuff purchased for other content/subs and let ya know.

 

[Bozley0621]

Please keep us informed as to how much you spend on content subscriptions/purchases. My sat+dsl bill is about $135/mo (discounts included). I see it as being very close to break even, once I subscribe/purchase the content I want to watch. But I may be underestimating how much I will spend on content. So I will be curious to see where you end up.

I know te question wasn't directed at me, but we spend about $20/month on Netflix for streaming and 1 Bluray, $7.99 for Hulu, and about $20 give or take on Redbox and iTunes rentals. We also have an antenna for broadcast tv.

 

[JAT]

It'd doable if you're not a complete fanatic who has to have Red Zone and pixel perfect perfection.

You're not talking about....cable?!